8 Hollywood players the industry is buzzing about as Oscar night approaches

Though you can make the argument that some of people in the race
this year - like Bradley Cooper, Lady Gaga, and Mahershala Ali -
are going to do just fine in their careers regardless if they get
Oscar nominated (chances are very high all three of these people
will), for others who are in contention this year, it marks the
moment in their careers when they elevate their profile to the
next level.

For some, being an Oscar contender means getting bigger projects
and heftier pay days. For others, especially those in the
below-the-line categories, getting nominated or winning a little
gold statue can solidify a career.

Here are eight Hollywood players who are getting the most
out of their Oscar buzz:

Olivia Colman (Actress) — "The Favourite"

source

Fox Searchlight

Colman has had an established career in the UK for over a decade,
but with her acclaimed performance as Queen Anne in Yorgos
Lanthimos' "The Favourite" (which has already earned her a Golden
Globes win), it's likely roles for her will only increase on this
side of the pond.

It's likely Colman will be nominated in the best actress Oscar
category when nominations are revealed later this month.
Competition to win will be tough with Lady Gaga ("A Star Is
Born") and Glenn Close ("The Wife") also likely to be nominated
as well. But in the case of Colman, getting the nomination
is the win.

John David Washington (Actor) — "BlacKkKlansman"

source

Focus Features

John David Washington has spent most of his life trying to not
follow in his famous dad's footsteps. Being the son of Denzel
Washington, John only recently got into acting as most of his
life, he tried to become a pro football player (which made him
the perfect fit to star in the HBO series "Ballers"). Now in the
family business, John is forging an impressive career path thanks
to one of the directors who made his dad an icon, Spike Lee.

John playing Ron Stallworth in "BlacKkKlansman" is a major reason
why Lee will likely get a best director Oscar nomination. Though
it's a longshot that John will get a nomination, his performance
in the movie will launch him to big roles.

Tony McNamara (Screenwriter) — "The Favourite"

source

Charley Gallay/Getty

This Australian writer's exposure in Hollywood has jumped big
time thanks to taking on a rework of "The Favourite." Originally
penned by Deborah Davis, McNamara teamed with director Yorgos
Lanthimos when he became attached to the project. They worked on
making the story even more focused on the three main female leads
than it originally was, while also plugging in the little quirks
that makes a Lanthimos project so unique.

On top of McNamara and Lanthimos working on another project
together, "The Favourite" is a (sorry) favorite to win
the Oscar for best original screenplay.

Bryan Woods & Scott Beck (Screenwriters) — "A Quiet Place"

caption

(L-R) Screenwriters Bryan Woods and Scott Beck.

source

AP

Before John Krasinski came along and put his Hollywood clout
behind "A Quiet Place," screenwriters Bryan Woods and Scott Beck
were shopping around town a unique thriller set around monsters
who kill anything that makes a sound. $340-plus million later
(the global box office figure for the $17 million movie), the
writers are riding the buzz to a possible Oscar nomination.

With a recent nomination by the Writers Guild of America, the
chances of Woods and Beck (along with Krasinski who shared a
writing credit with the two) getting a nomination in the original
screenplay category is a strong possibility.

Ruth E. Carter (Costume Designer) — "Black Panther"

source

AP

A legend in the field having costumed everything from countless
Spike Lee movies to "Amistad" and "Selma," Ruth E. Carter has
never won an Oscar (she's been nominated twice). But with the
beautiful work she did in "Black Panther," she may finally get
her win.

Competition is tough with the period piece "The Favourite" also
in the mix, but Disney has been masterful so far in how its kept
"Black Panther" (which opened in February) in the Oscar
conversation.

Jay Cassidy (Editor) — "A Star Is Born"

source

AP

Veteran editor Jay Cassidy is another who is due for a win.
Having edited since the 1970s and having such titles on his
filmography like "An Inconvenient Truth," "Foxcatcher," and
"Joy," his work on "A Star Is Born" is a career highlight.

Competition is strong with movies like "Roma," "First Man," and
"Vice," but if anything this Oscar season proves it's that
Cassidy is one of the best cutters working today.

Mary E. Vogt (Costume Designer) — “Crazy Rich Asians”

caption

Constance Wu in this summer's "Crazy Rich Asians"

source

Color Force/IMDB

Who is responsible for the gorgeous clothes featured throughout
"Crazy Rich Asians"? Mary E. Vogt, who previous to this had done
the memorable costumes on countless movies like "Dune," "Hocus
Pocus," and "Batman Returns." And she's never been nominated for
an Oscar!

As we've already noted, the costume design category is going to
be stacked this Oscars, but "Crazy Rich Asians" has exceeded all
expectations.

Bing Liu (Director) — “Minding the Gap”

source

AP

One of the fun stories to track this past year was the evolution
of powerful documentary "Minding the Gap" from Sundance hit to
Oscar contender. At the center of it is director Bing Liu, who
also stars in the movie. Marking his first feature film following
years as a camera assistant or camera operator on big budget
movies and TV shows, it's going to be fun to see what he does in
the years to come.

Liu's "Minding the Gap," which navigates the lives of three
friends through their tough home lives and bond over
skateboarding, is one of the contenders for the always
competitive best feature documentary category.